


Louis's Hurt Playing Football

by itsgonnabemay5



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Football, Hurt, M/M, Soccer, Whump, injured, ribs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 12:49:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14332809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsgonnabemay5/pseuds/itsgonnabemay5
Summary: Louis and the boys play football (soccer) and Louis gets kicked in the ribs.





	Louis's Hurt Playing Football

''Stop it, Hazza! Stop!" Louis squealed breathlessly, getting off the bed to run away from Harry. Harry was tickling him with no mercy, causing him to squirm. He managed to only make it as far as the front of the bed, sprawled out on the floor, while Harry dove down in attack-mode.

Harry tickled his underarms and torso until Louis could hardly speak. Louis began laughing and uttering "Ha-....Ha-" without being able to get his whole name out. Finally, Harry realized he needed to stop. After all, he didn't want to suffocate the poor boy.

''Okay, you win," Harry laughed, pulling him into his lap. Louis smiled up at him, placing a kiss on Harry's cheek. ''You're just too adorable sometimes it's hard to stop."

Suddenly, Louis's cellphone pierced the air and vibrated in his pocket, causing him to jump. Harry smiled at the fact that even his cell phone tickled him so much. Louis pulled out his phone and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Louis," Liam began. ''You mates wanna play some football today? Like right now?"

Louis looked at Harry and relayed the message.

''Yeah, sure,'' Harry said. ''That'll be fun."

Louis loved football. It was his favorite sport. When he wasn't playing it, he was playing FIFA from his couch. He'd never pass up a chance to play. ''Yeah, me, too."

''We're down. Meet you in ten?" he asked Liam.

''Yeah. We'll be in the park. See you soon," he said and hung up.

Louis and Harry quickly changed into their sports outfits and headed out the door, eager to play. They hadn't played football in probably about three months. They'd been so busy lately that there just hadn't been any time for it.

Once they arrived, they were met on the field with Niall and Liam. ''Hey, lads. Glad you came!" Niall said with a huge grin on his face. He greeted both of them with a couple friendly high fives.

''Okay, everyone's here. Let's get this started!" Liam announced, tossing and catching the football in the air. They divided into teams, with Louis and Harry on one team and Niall and Liam on the other. They got into positions, and the game began.

Niall's team kicked off the game. The boys ran for the ball, and Liam got it, running with it towards their goal. Harry ran in their direction, hoping to stop the ball from making it further. Louis was able to intercept it and he kicked it to Harry. Harry ran with it, but it got away from him and Niall got it, kicking it into their goal, scoring them a point.

''Alright team!" Liam called out enthusiastically. ''That's what I'm talking about!" Then play began again. After half an hour, the score was 1-1. The boys were still at it, hoping that soon someone would be able to score again.

They started again, Louis with the ball this time. He passed the ball to Harry, but Liam intercepted it at the last second. Louis ran over to Liam, hoping to steal it away from him. But in running over, Louis clumsily tripped over his own two feet. He fell right in front of the ball, in the exact same time that Liam was going in for a kick. But Liam couldn't stop in time.

Louis's side erupted in searing hot pain, causing him to see spots. He slumped to the ground and groaned loudly, placing a hand to his ribs. Harry, upon seeing what had just unfolded, ran over to his husband in desperation. His heart was beating rapidly, and he was at Louis's side in an instant.

He knelt down next to the boy, calling out his name. ''Louis! Are you okay?" Harry was more concerned about the older boy than ever before. Usually when Louis went down, it was just for a second, just sheerly from being stunned, but this time, he saw Louis get hit really hard by Liam's foot and he heard Louis's anguished cries from across the field, unmoving. He knew this had to be serious.

Louis groaned again, clutching his side, his face contorted in pain. He was hurting too much to give an answer.

''Let me see, babe," Harry said, pulling back Louis's shirt. The was a definite red mark where Liam's shoe had touched him, and it appeared as if there was some swelling along his side. Harry touched it lightly, making Louis scream out.

Harry quickly retracted his hand, grimacing at Louis's discomfort. ''Sorry babe,'' he said, stroking his hair and kissing his cheek.

''I'm so sorry, Louis!'' Liam said, pacing the ground. ''I didn't mean to kick him. I promise!" Liam was distraught and upset with himself for having caused Louis's injury.

Niall placed a hand to his shoulder for comfort. ''We know you didn't, mate. You'd never do that on purpose."

''Yeah, Liam. It was just an accident. No one blames you," Harry said, hoping to calm Liam down. ''Liam, can you do me a favor?"

''Yeah, anything," Liam said, walking over to Harry. Anything Harry or Louis needed he would do to make up for his carelessness.

''Help me lift him. I've got his head if you'll get his feet. Niall, you support his back,'' Harry instructed. ''Louis, you're gonna be okay. We're gonna lift you up and place you in the car."

Louis nodded, his eyes clamped shut.

They took him to the emergency room, Liam driving at the wheel, going slowly and easily as to avoid road bumps. Louis was outstretched in the car, laying down on the backseat, his head resting on Harry's lap. Harry was running his fingers throughout Louis's hair, peppering his face with kisses any time Louis let out a painful grunt.

They got him to the hospital and a doctor quickly saw about him just minutes upon arrival. After taking X-rays, it was concluded that he had two broken ribs on his right side. He was told they would heal on their own in four-six weeks, and that for the first three weeks, he needed to take it easy and stay in bed as much as he could.

Before they left, a nurse wrapped up his ribs with a white, elastic bandage. ''You can wear the bandage, but it needs to be taken off several times in order for you to take deep breaths.''

Louis nodded, hissing a bit through his teeth as she wrapped. Harry watched his face, feeling sorry for the older boy.

''Sorry,'' she said, noticing the boy's discomfort. She continued on, ''You need to take deep breathes every now and then to make sure you don't develop pneumonia.'' She tucked the end under as she finished up. ''Okay, you are all set to go. Your pain meds have been called in so you can go pick those up as soon as you're ready.'' Then she left the room, off to help another patient.

Harry put Louis's shirt on for him and helped him off the table. ''How are you feeling?" Harry asked as they walked out of the hospital. ''Are you in a lot of pain?" Harry had his arm around Louis's shoulders as they walked out into the parking lot.

''I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. It's really bad," Louis said, grimacing with each step he took. ''I never knew walking could be so painful.''

Harry quietly chuckled at Louis's expense. He held out a hand for Louis, and he quickly joined his hand in the younger boy's. Louis needed comforting and he wasn't going to let anyone tell him he couldn't hold his hand, not that anyone was around except for Niall and Liam.

''I really am sorry, mate. It's all my fault," Liam said, his head hanging low out of guilt.

''Liam, I already t-t-told y-you," Louis stammered through the pain, his hand shielding his side. ''It's okay.''

''But I really do feel bad. Promise you'll let me know if you need anything, and I'll be right there," he told the boy.

Louis nodded and let out a pain-filled smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He knew Liam felt bad and he really believed him when he said it was an accident. They may tease each other every now and then, but they do get along well for the most part. Louis knew Liam would never hurt him on purpose.

The boys separated to their homes for the rest of the day after picking up Louis's pain meds. Harry helped Louis sit down on the couch once they got home and gave him a glass of water to wash down the medicine. ''Hopefully that will help some,'' Harry told the older boy.

Louis gratefully took the pills from Harry and swallowed them down. "Thanks, Haz."

''Are you hungry, Lou? I can make you a sandwich," Harry offered, taking the empty glass from Louis's hands.

He shook his head. ''No, don't have much of an appetite right now."

''Maybe you should get some rest," Harry suggested.

Louis nodded.

''Here, try to lean up against me," Harry told him. Louis gingerly began scooting closer to Harry, leaning his body and head on Harry's broad chest. He'd normally bring him into a bear hug, but he didn't want to hurt the boy. Instead, Harry left one hand on Louis's uninjured side and the other at his own side. Louis closed his eyes, and they both drifted off to sleep.

They awoke a couple hours later. ''How you feeling, Boo?" Harry asked as Louis awoke.

He sucked in some air in order to respond and gasped. ''Hurts to breathe,'' he managed to say, grimacing.

''Aw, baby,'' Harry said, kissing his head and cheeks. ''I feel so bad. We'll just take it easy for now, yeah?"

He felt Louis nod as his head moved up and down on his chest. ''I guess tickling is out of the question for a while," Harry joked.

Louis tried to laugh, but was cut off harshly because of the pain. "Ow," he groaned. ''Don't make me laugh,'' he said hoarsely.

''Sorry, Lou. I'll be more careful," Harry said. All he wanted to do was to bring this adorable little boy into his lap and squeeze him and shower his whole body with kisses. Louis just did that to him. He was such a small, cute boy, while Harry was tall and muscular. He loved his little husband to pieces. But he knew he had to refrain himself for the time being.

Harry's stomach let out a huge growl that cut through the silence.

''Hungry Haz?" Louis asked.

''How'd you know?" he said, stroking the boy's arm.

''I don't know. Just a guess," he said flatly. ''Go get you some food."

''Do you want anything?''

''Yeah, bring me a slice of pizza," Louis said, referring to the left-over pepperoni pizza from last night.

''Okay. Here, I'm gonna slide out from under you and lean you up against the side of the sofa. Tell me if I hurt you,'' Harry said. Louis nodded, bracing himself for the pain.

Harry placed his hands under Louis's arms and pushed him back as gently as he could, with Louis trying to stifle a moan. ''You okay?" Harry asked him with worried eyes.

''Yeah, I'm fine," Louis replied, though he was obviously in a lot of pain. Harry leaned down and kissed him on the forehead before heading off to the kitchen. They sat there mostly in silence as they ate, and then Harry turned on the TV.

''How about 'Friends'?" Harry asked him as he flipped through channels.

''No, too funny,'' Louis said with a straight face.

''Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry,'' Harry said, and found something else to watch.

That night as they lay in bed (after Louis found a comfortable enough position to sleep in), Harry watched Louis's peaceful-looking face until he himself finally fell asleep. Halfway through the night, out of habit, Harry reached over for Louis and put his arm around him, pulling him close. The movement caused Louis to cry out as he put pressure on his injured side.

''Louis! I'm so sorry! So sorry, love! Are you okay?' Harry cried, deeply concerned and frustrated at his own stupidity.

''I'm....''Louis said, breathing fast, shallow breaths. ''I'm okay,'' he said, but Harry noticed there were tears in his eyes.

''I'm sorry. I won't do it again," Harry said, rubbing Louis's back and kissing his face. Gosh, Harry, you're so stupid, he thought to himself.

They were both able to fall back asleep quickly. From then on, Harry was extra careful not to touch the boy in his sleep.

Several days went by, and the boys had to take turns watching over Louis during the day as they took turns going to interviews. Louis got to stay home as he was in no shape to be out and about.

On the fifth day since the injury, Harry and Louis were resting on the couch, looking at Twitter on their phones. Louis smiled when he saw all of the love he was getting from the fans.

''Get well soon, Louis! We love you!'' @mytommo said.

''My poor baby! I hope Harry is taking good care of you. Feel better soon!" said @HazBoo. This one really made his heart happy. He looked over at Harry and smiled. Harry was taking really good care of him and he didn't know what he would do without him.

As Harry was scrolling through his own feed, he cut off his phone and said, ''Lou, have you been taking deep breaths like the doctor said?"

Louis shrugged, hoping he wouldn't bother him more about it.

''Lou, it's important. Have you been? I don't want you getting pneumonia,'' Harry said, turning his body towards him, expecting an answer.

''No. Haven't been,'' he said, eyes not leaving his phone.

Harry took the phone away from Louis and looked into his eyes. ''Louis, you've gotta do it or you'll get sick."

''But it'll hurt!" Louis protested, snatching back his phone angrily.

''Babe. Listen to me,'' Harry said. Louis looked up, meeting his eyes. ''I know it's gonna hurt,'' he said softer, grabbing the smaller boy's hands. ''Listen, I'm gonna take the bandage off and you've got to take some deep breaths, okay? I'm gonna keep asking until you do,'' he grinned.

Louis hesitated before rolling his eyes and said, ''Okay, fine. Whatever.''

Harry took off Louis's shirt and unwound the bandage from around his chest, tossing the bandage on the floor. The swelling had gone down some and there was a definite black bruise along his side. ''Okay, just breath in. It's okay.''

''Easy for you to say," Louis said through clenched teeth. He knew if he didn't, Harry would never leave him alone. So he slowly drew air into his lungs, Harry coaching him through it as well as doing it himself.

''That's good. Deeper, deeper,'' he said, watching his chest expand. ''You did good, babe.''

He did it one more time so Harry would be satisfied. It hurt, but it had to be done. ''Okay, bandage me back up now, please. I'm so done with this," Louis said in irritation, pointing to the floor at the bandage.

Harry picked up the bandage and wound it carefully around Louis's ribcage, wrapping it tight enough for comfort, but loose enough for him to breathe. Then he put on his shirt. Louis was relieved once the binding was back on again. ''Better?"

''Lots," Louis said, sitting himself back against the couch into Harry's arms. Just as they were getting comfortable again, Louis had the urge to sneeze. Harry noticed what was happening and they both began to panic. Luckily, Harry spotted a pillow on the floor next to the coffee table and he quickly tossed it over to Louis. He placed it on his chest as he let out a painful sneeze, the pillow taking some of the impact out of it.

Harry scrunched up his face in sympathy. ''You okay?''

''Yeah,'' Louis sniffed. ''Thanks for the pillow."

''No problem, love," Harry said, rubbing his shoulder.

As the weeks went on, Louis began feeling better and doing more things. Harry was still afraid to touch him, though. On the sixth week, Louis wanted cuddles. He looked up at Harry with puppy-dog eyes, pleading for his soothing touch.

''Louis, I can't. I'll end up hurting you again like I did in bed," Harry said. Gosh, he was hot. Harry wanted nothing more than to scoop his baby up in his arms and kiss and tickle him until he tried to escape.

''Harry, I feel a lot better. You can touch me now. You're not going to hurt me," Louis promised him.

''Are you sure your ribs feel good enough?" Harry asked, not yet convinced.

Louis took Harry's hand and placed it on his side. ''See? They're just a little sore, but you don't have to worry anymore.'' 

''Okay, if you're sure. Come here, you!" Harry said, grabbing the boy gingerly, still careful about where he touched him. They cuddled on the couch, Harry placing his strong arms around him, and Louis was okay, too.

Two weeks later, Harry went back to tickling him again, only when he was sure that Louis could take it. ''I'm so glad you're feeling better, babe!" Harry said, laughing as Louis struggled out of his grasp.

''Me, too," Louis said, trying to tickle Harry back, but it was no use. Harry wasn't ticklish, which really wasn't very fair. ''Thanks for taking care of me, love," he said softly, bringing his mouth closer to Harry's.

''No problem, Boo," Harry answered, and then their lips met, their breathing slowed, and they held onto each other tightly. Nothing could be better than this.

Comment if you enjoyed it! Thanks loves! :)


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